Gate of God

“Yes,” said the woman as she nodded her head.

“What’s… what’s your name?” The monster’s voice became more and more anxious. It was completely unlike his previous icy tone.

“Yun Qingwu,” replied the woman.

“Yun Qingwu!” The monster looked intently at her as he tried to make out her face underneath her hood. He gulped and said, “How can I believe you?”

The woman did not reply to the monster. Instead, she slowly lifted her hand and took off her hood, revealing a stunningly beautiful face.

Her brows were elegant and her lips were thin. Her eyes were as calm as water. She stood quietly in front of the monster, ignoring the hundreds of other monsters around them.

“No Demon Eye!” The monster opened his eyes wide in shock as he looked at Yun Qingwu’s snow-white forehead. His entire body trembled. Then, a look of shock crossed his face. Afterward, he looked as if he remembered something as he said, “King Xieluo? Why did King Xieluo not follow you?”

“He’s dead,” said Yun Qingwu plainly.

“Impossible! King Xieluo is a Demon King. His job is to quietly protect you. As long as he doesn’t step into the Holy Region, or take part in a conflict between the empires, how can he die?”

“He’s really dead. He died in a fight between the Holy Barbarian Empire and the Great Xia Dynasty.”

“King Xieluo would not have taken part in this conflict on his own accord. He knew the rules. Unless it’s by your orders?”

“Yes,” said Yun Qingwu as she nodded her head.

“Do you know that King Xieluo is my brother?” The monster’s voice was shaking.

Yun Qingwu did not speak. However, her phoenix-like eyes shone with light. After a while, the light disappeared and her face turned calm once more.

“Can you tell me the reason?”

“The 13 Heaven Dao Tablets of the Great Xia Dynasty.”

“The Heaven Dao Tablets…. I understand. My brother’s death was not in vain.” When the monster heard this, he nodded his head. Then, he knelt in front of her and said, “Xieyi, Sentry-General of the Monster Race, offers his respect to the Young Empress. Please punish me with death, Young Empress, for insulting you!”

After Xieyi said that, he spat a ghostly-blue pearl out from his mouth. The pearl floated in mid-air and then drifted in front of Yun Qinngwu. It shone with a faint light.

It was a Demon Pearl.

Furthermore, it was almost a King-Level Demon Pearl.

However, the other Monsters did not stop Xieyi as he spat out this Demon Pearl. Furthermore, they viewed his action as normal.

“Thump!”

“Thump!”

“…”

They started knelt on the ground.

The hundreds of monsters on top of the ferocious beasts prostrated themselves on the ground immediately. Not a single one of them dared to raise their heads. Importantly, as the hundreds of monsters lay on the ground, hundreds of Demon Pearls started to float in mid-air.

It was a shocking scene.

“You can’t be blamed if you have no knowledge prior to this. Bring me to see my mother,” said Yun Qingwu. Her hood slipped off her, revealing her snowy-white dress underneath.

“Wait a moment, Young Empress!” Xieyi’s body shook. Then, he slowly took a few steps back and he then disappeared into the grey fog.

However, the many Demon Pearls continued to float in mid-air.

After a while, two tiny boats appeared in front of Yun Qingwu. One of the boats was empty while the other one had a seat. A silvery-white cover lay on the seat.

Then, Xieyi knelt on the ground once more, offering his body as a step.

“Why don’t you take back your Demon Pearl?” Yun Qingwu did not enter the boat straight away. Instead, she looked at the Demon Pearls and asked.

“Insulting the Young Empress is a capital crime!” Xieyi replied.

“If I step on your head to board the boat, will you live?” When Yun Qingwu heard this, she nodded her head. She was not surprised by his response.

“I have a 50% chance of survival!” Xieyi replied.

“I understand,” said Yun Qingwu. She took a few steps back and retreated next to Ying Dao. She then reached out her hand.

Ying Dao understood her intention immediately. He passed her his knife respectfully.

After Yun Qingwu took Ying Dao’s knife, she walked in front of Xieyi. Then, with her knife, she stabbed Xieyi’s palm.

“Spleugh!” Xieyi’s palm was nailed to the ground by the knife.

Xieyi frowned. However, he said nothing and did nothing.

After Yun Qingwu stabbed him, she slowly lifted her leg and stepped on Xieyi’s head. Then, she climbed onto the boat with the seat and sat down.

“I’ve punished you on behalf of my mother. You can now lead the way!” Yun Qingwu’s voice rang out. It was soft, but all the monsters heard it.

Xieyi’s body shook violently and his ghostly-blue eyes revealed an expression of disbelief. However, he turned around and his palm was slashed open by the knife.

“Thank you for your punishment, Young Empress!”

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!” Xieyi nodded his head. Then, he swallowed his Demon Pearl and then, looked at the group of black figures. At the same time, he pointed to another small boat and said, “Please!”

“Thank you!” Ying Dao nodded his head and then, he retreated back into the group of black shadows.

When the other black figures saw Ying Dao stepping back, they nodded their heads at Xieyi. Then, they quickly rushed over to the other boat.

“Elders of the 10 Devilish Domains?” When Xieyi saw this scene, his expression did not change. Instead, he looked with his ghostly-blue eyes at the black shadows stepping onto the boat.

“9,” replied an ancient voice.

“I understand,” said Xieyi. He asked no further question but instead, he quickly got into Yun Qingwu’s boat. He tapped the bottom of the boat lightly with his feet and it quickly went into the gray fog.

If one looked at it carefully, one could see that behind Yun Qingwu’s boat, there was a small black chain, which tied it to Ying Dao’s boat.

The boat did not move quickly.

However, it quickly disappeared in the gray fog. Next to the two boats, there were ten huge figures, as tall as mountains. They slowly walked next to it.

As for the hundreds of monsters which appeared just now, they had long since disappeared into the fog. However, one could occasionally hear the roars of beasts.

…

The Great Swamp was an important piece of land for the monsters.

In the center of the Great Swamp, there was a small island. No fog surrounded the island. This island was like an oasis in the Great Swamp. However, instead of trees, all one could see were stone tablets. Each stone tablet had stone carvings on them but no one could see what they mean.

A path made from stones appeared among the stone tablets, leading straight into an immense black palace.

Yun Qingwu jumped off from the small boat.

Xieyi quickly walked forward and led the way. After a while, under Xieyi’s guidance, Yun Qingwu and the dozens of black shadows arrived in front of the black palace.

The palace was ancient and not well-decorated. However, directly above the palace, one could see a huge white jade laid in the center of the black palace of stone. The jade was carved in the shape of a beast.

It was a white fox, a Nine-Tailed White Fox.

Xieyi knelt down once more and kowtowed thrice to the Nine-Tailed White Fox. Then, he slowly stood up, bowed to Yun Qingwu and said, “Please go ahead, Young Empress!”

“Alright,” said Yun Qingwu as she nodded her head. Then, she walked toward the black rock palace. The dozens of black figures stopped and guarded outside the door of the black palace quietly.

She walked into the black palace.

Two stone sculptures appeared next to Yun Qingwu, one on her left and the other on her right. There were nine in total. Each of them took a different pose but they all brimmed with a demonic aura.

She walked through the nine stone sculptures and arrived outside the main hall of the black stone palace.

“Greetings, Young Empress!” The two monsters who guarded the entrance to the main hall bowed when they saw Yun Qingwu. Then, they quickly opened the doors.

Yun Qingwu nodded her head and stepped into the main hall.

It was a bright hall and compared to the Great Swamp outside, this hall was better illuminated. On the rock walls of the hall, many precious metals were inlaid. They all glowed faintly.

Near the top of the main hall, a chair made out of white jade stood. On the chair, there was a woman. She wore a dress made from white fur and her long hair fell onto her shoulders.

Appearance-wise, the woman was no older than 20. Her facial features were sharp and her eyes were black. Her brows were delicate and her skin was snowy-white.

She was prettier than most women in the world. Elegant, classy, and exotic. She exuded an otherworldly aura.

“You’re here,” spoke the woman. Her voice brimmed with a monstrous power. These two words alone were enough to touch one’s soul.

“I’m here,” said Yun Qingwu as she nodded her head.

“Is he okay?”

“Father is fine.”

“Out of the ten elders of the 10 Devilish Domains, nine are here. I don’t think you’re here just to see me, right?” The woman asked. Her black eyes glittered.

“You’re right. I hope that mother can fulfill her promise of the alliance.” Yun Qingwu appeared to mind the woman in front of her very much. After all, she was her actual mother.

“Alliance? Hurhur… it was a useless treaty for mutual benefits. You should know that. At best, you’re a failed product of a failed marriage,” said the woman with a smile.

“However, the blood of the Monster Race still flows in my veins.”

“Only half!” The woman’s voice was agitated.

“Even if there’s only half of it, it’s the better half!” Yun Qingwu’s tone changed. She became extremely resolute.

“Yes, it’s the better half, but it’s also the failed half. You don’t have the Demon Eyes, a characteristic trait of the Demon Race. Furthermore, you don’t have a Monster Body, a typical characteristic of the Monster Race. You’re a garbage formed from the union of the Emperor of the Demons and the Empress of the Monsters. What a joke! If I guess correctly, the Demon Race rejected you too, right?” The woman said dismissively.

“King Xieluo did not pass my message to you?”

“No, he didn’t. After you were chased out of the Blood Shadow City, I decreed that we shall take no more news from him. What? From your tone, it seems that you have returned to the Blood Shadow City?”

“Yes.”

“Hurhur… so what if you managed to return to the Blood Shadow City? The Demon Race emphasizes strength and respects the strong. Even if you managed to return to the Blood Shadow City, you’re just a tool your father uses to maintain the Monster-Demon alliance,” said the woman disrespectfully.

“I’m already the Demon Young Lord,” said Yun Qingwu plainly.

“Young Lord? Hurhur… interesting, did you receive the title right before you came?”

“No, I got it when I was five years old. Since then, I have been the Demon Young Lord,” said Yun Qingwu as she shook her head.

“Five years old?” The woman’s expression finally changed. Her black eyes stared intently at Yun Qingwu as if she had seen something on her face. However, all Yun Qingwu revealed was an expression of calm. “Interesting. The Demon Race actually made a five-years-old child their Young Lord. Tell me about it!”

“Even though I don’t have a Demon Eye, I have inherited the characteristic calm of the Demon Race. Similarly, while I don’t have a Monster Body, I have inherited the intelligence of the Nine-Tailed White Fox. Is that not enough?” Yun Qingwu countered.

“Is that so? What did you do?” The woman asked.

“I did one thing. I rallied the Six Domain Demonic Army outside the Blood Shadow City and then, I invaded it!” Yun Qingwu said plainly.

“Hahaha, you invaded the Blood Shadow City? By yourself? Are you telling me that when the Demon Race acknowledged you as their Young Lord when you were five years old, it was because of this feat?”

“Yes, I invaded the Blood Shadow City with the armies of the Six Domains. I encircled the armies of the Four Domains with them and then, I even made my way to the doors of the palace of the Demon Race.”

“You really did that when you were five?”

“Yes,” said Yun Qingwu as she nodded her head.

“Five years old…” When the woman heard this, she fell silent. After a while, her eyes shone with light as she said, “Tell me, what do you want from me?”

“Firstly, I want you to acknowledge me as the Young Empress.”

“You’re my only daughter and naturally, you’re the Young Empress. Even if I don’t want to admit it, I have to,” said the woman casually.

“I don’t just want the title. I want the right to command the Monster Race.”

“How many do you want to command?”

“All, including you, mother!”

“Hahaha… you’re only 20 years old, right? You are greedy indeed. Fine, I’ll give you this chance. However, you have to do something first.”

“What?”

“The five sects of the Holy Region encircled us monsters for many years. Pick one sect and destroy it. I think it should be easy for you, right?”

“Alright, but I want five Monster Kings,” said Yun Qingwu as she nodded her head. She did not find the woman’s request strange. She remained as calm as water.

“Five? Hurhur, you want to destroy one of the five sects with just five Monster Kings? Don’t you know that while they are often involved in civil strife, they will still band together in times of danger? How about this, I’ll give you ten. Treat this as compensation for me not visiting you in the past 20 years!”

“No, I just want five.”

“Eh?! If you can really destroy a sect with just five Monster Kings in one year, I, Baizhi, shall listen to your orders!”

“I don’t need a year. Three months are enough,” said Yun Qingwu as she turned to leave, walking out of the great door of the main hall.

Empress Baizhi of the Monsters looked quietly at the disappearing white figure. Her delicate face revealed a faint warmth. However, it quickly disappeared as she regained her normal, emotionless demeanor.

“Arrange for the Young Empress to rest in the eastern hall!”

“Yes!” A respectful voice rang out from outside.

…

At the same time Yun Qingwu stepped into the Great Swamp, a huge beast flew in the air above the mountains in the west of the Holy Region.

The beast moved extremely quickly. As it flew past the mountains, its huge wings formed gusts in the air, blowing apart the white clouds.

Slowly, a land, shrouded in clouds, appeared.

Clearly, it was a huge patch of herbs in the mountains. There were many types of herbs there. Some were red, some were green, some were purple, some were blue…

At this moment, a figure leaped off the back of the beast. Under the bright moonlight, one could see that he was carrying someone else in his arms.

A gust of wind blew and his blue robes fluttered in the air.